Electrolytic cells comprising solid alkali ion conductive electrolyte membranes that selectively transport alkali ions are known in the art. By having an alkali ion selective membrane in an electrolytic cell, alkali ions are allowed to pass between the cell's anolyte compartment and catholyte compartment while other chemicals are maintained in their original compartments. Thus, through the use of an alkali ion specific membrane, an electrolytic cell can be engineered to be more efficient and to produce different chemical reactions than would otherwise occur without the membrane.
Solid alkali ion conductive electrolyte membranes are used in electrochemical cells for various reasons, including, but not limited to, for being ion conductive, ion selective, water impermeable, chemically stable, electronically insulating, and for similar reasons. By way of example, NaSICON (Na Super Ion CONducting) membranes selectively transport sodium cations, while LiSICON (Li Super Ion CONducting) membranes selectively transport lithium cations. Other examples of solid alkali ion conductive electrolyte membranes include beta alumina, sodium-conductive glasses, etc.
Electrolytic cells comprising solid alkali ion conductive membranes are used to produce a wide variety of different chemicals and to perform various chemical processes. In some cases, such electrolytic cells convert alkali salts into their corresponding acids. In other cases, such electrolytic cells may also be used to separate alkali metals from mixed alkali salts. Accordingly, some such electrolytic cells can be used to purify metals, such as sodium, lithium, potassium.
Despite their utility, electrolytic cells comprising solid alkali ion conductive membranes are not necessarily without their shortcomings or challenges. For example, some such electrolytic cells are relatively inefficient. More particularly, some such cells are subject to a relatively high amount of voltage drop between and anode electrode and cathode electrode. Moreover, as some such electrolytic cells can generate low pH acids in the electrolyte compartment and/or high pH bases in the catholyte compartment as the cells function, the contents of such cells can degrade or damage the solid alkali ion conductive membrane, thereby, causing the cell to become less efficient or even inoperable.
Thus, while electrolytic cells comprising a catholyte compartment and an anolyte compartment that are separated by a solid alkali ion-conductive membrane are known, challenges still exist. Accordingly, it would be an improvement in the art to augment or even replace certain conventional electrolytic cells with other electrolytic cells.